The Investor Relations Society 2026 Best Practice Awards: Entries Now Open
The Awards recognise and celebrate organisations that demonstrate excellence in investor relations and communications. Judged by an independent panel of highly respected investor relations and investment community professionals, the Awards showcase best practice across both self entry and voted categories.
From today, IR teams are invited to enter across five categories that highlight outstanding best practice in investor relations:
• Best IR Programme
• Best Annual Report
• Best Corporate Website
• Best Innovation in IR
• Best Communication of Sustainability
Each category will recognise excellence across small cap, mid cap and large cap listed companies in the UK and internationally. The Best IR Programme category will once again include a dedicated private company award, recognising leaders in investor and stakeholder communications beyond the listed equity environment.
Alongside the self entry Awards, the Society is pleased to partner once again with Extel for the Voted Awards, expanding both reach and engagement across the investment community. Nominations have already been made for the following categories, and we look forward to announcing the shortlists later this year.
• Best IRO (individual)
• Best Overall Company IR (company)
• Best Investor Engagement (investor)
• Best Newcomer to IR (individual)
Matt Hall, CEO of The Investor Relations Society, commented:
“The Society’s Best Practice Awards are how we celebrate and acknowledge excellence in investor relations, recognising those who are setting the standards, whether responding to changing investor expectations, embracing innovation, or delivering clarity and value in increasingly complex environments. I would strongly encourage firms and individuals to take part and showcase the work they are rightly proud of. I look forward to celebrating with you at our Awards Dinner in November.”
Julian Smith, Managing Director, BRR Media, and Chair of the Best Practice Committee, added:
“Best practice in investor relations evolves with the markets, investor expectations and the tools available. The criteria behind these Awards are reviewed every year to make sure they reflect what truly excellent IR looks like today. The teams that enter – and those shortlisted for the Awards – help set the standard the rest of the profession learns from. I’d urge anyone proud of the work they’ve done this year to put it forward.”
Self-entries to the 25th Annual Best Practice Awards are open to all companies from today, 6 May 2026, and the Self-entry Awards remain open until 31 August 2026.
Full details, including best practice criteria and online entry forms, can be found here. Information on the Voted Awards, run in partnership with Extel, is also available here.
For further information, please contact:
Matt Hall, CEO, The Investor Relations Society
+44 20 3978 1980 or matt.hall@irsociety.org.uk
Liz Cole, Head of Policy and Communications, The Investor Relations Society
+44 20 3978 1980 or liz.cole@irsociety.org.uk